A/N: Y'all asked for it, so here ya go! Chapter 2 of Mockingjay Captured!
Thank you for all the lovely reviews you sent me regarding the last chapter. I hearing from you guys, so keep up the reviewing. ;)
Let's start this chapter, shall we?
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own The Hunger Games. All rights go to and forever belong to Suzanne Collins.
Chapter 2 – Peeta's POV
"Soldier Mellark," Boggs, one of Coins lead commanders, says. "You are needed in Command, as ordered by President Coin." I hadn't met Coin yet, so this might be the day that I meet the woman who left Katniss in the arena for the Capitol to have. "Follow me."
I follow Boggs into the hallway that I have become so familiar with over the past few weeks I've spent in District 13. Yet, being here so long, I still haven't gotten the hang of all these hallways and which turn to take or which floor leads where. I've never used any of this stuff in my life. The only other time I've used an elevator was before the games started. Still, then, I had barely had any idea what they were meant to do other than get you places.
"How long have you all been down here?" I ask Boggs as we make our way into the elevator and he pushes button number 59.
"70 years." He tells me. "It took them five years to finish it, so they started building it 75 years ago. Everyone lived in tents until the building was finished. Of course, I wasn't there. They teach about it in the history classes."
"Oh." Is all I really need to say. I'm surprised they lived here for 75 years with food and water, and yet they couldn't help us out at all. While we were starving they had food, shelter, and all those other needs people need. I guess we can't really blame them, they have a limited amount of food and they did take the survivors of the bombing of District 12.
Yes, the Capitol bombed my home. Killing my family. I was heartbroken when I found out. About 90 percent of the district died in that bombing. I was told they bombed it because Katniss shot that arrow, destroying the arena. But I don't blame her for this. How could anyone? It wasn't her fault. They probably would have bombed the district whether Beetee had destroyed the arena or Katniss. Who knows.
The elevator jerks a little and then comes to a complete stop, as the doors open for us. This new hallway is unfamiliar to me, yet it looks exactly the same as the rest I've been in. Strange how something can look so familiar, yet be so confusing at the same time.
"In here." Boggs says, motioning for me to enter a set of double doors. I push the door open and find, what I assume to be, the Command room. Inside is a large, round table and there is a big TV screen on one of the walls. Other than that there is nothing but some people in there, including Haymitch, who I have been ignoring for the past couple of weeks, Plutarch Heavensbee, I don't ever see him around, and a small, dignified woman with gray hair that is perfectly straight and even.
"Hello, Mr. Mellark." Coin says. "Won't you please have a seat?"
I obey and take a seat as far away from Haymitch and Plutarch as I can, but close enough as to not be rude to Coin.
"My name is President Alma Coin." She introduces herself. "I am the president here in 13 and the leader of this rebellion. We rescued you form the arena because we believe you are very valuable to this rebellion."
"Well you shouldn't have." I say coldly.
"Pardon me?" She asks.
"You left Katniss." I muster out. "Katniss was the one who was supposed to live."
"Mr Mellark, please understand that our original plan was to rescue you both from the arena," she says. "But once the Capitol got a hold of our Mockingjay we had to forfeit that plan and rescue you instead."
"If she is the Mockingjay then you should've gotten as soon as possible!" I yell.
"We tried." She tells me. "But we just... weren't quick enough."
"What do you want with me anyways?" I ask, trying to regain my composure.
"Plutarch." Coin motions for Plutarch to start speaking.
"Peeta, we want you to do propoganda's." Plutarch says. "Propos, as I like to call them. We want you to use your words to incite the Rebellion. Give them a reason to join our fight."
"Why should I help you?" I ask. I have no intention of helping people who took the one person I love most away from me. I could never do that. "Katniss is the Mockingjay and I don't want to take her place."
"We're not saying you will be the new Mockingjay." Coin tells me. "We just want you to be the temporary face of this rebellion. The Mockingjay is a permanent position, so Katniss can have that position when we rescue her."
"So you will rescue her?" I ask hopefully.
"Only if we get all the districts on our side. And we can't do that without you."
"What if I don't do it?" I ask.
"You don't have to." Coin says. "But if Katniss is going to get back alive, I suggest you take the offer."
"How do I even know Katniss is alive?" I scream at her. "It's been weeks! The Capitol's probably killed her for what she did in the arena! I could be agreeing to a job that I won't get anything out of, because you left Katniss and she is probably dead because of it." My words surprise me. The thought of Katniss actually being dead had crossed my mind, but this is the first time it's actually sunk in. The first time I feel like I actually believe the words.
"Peeta, please." Coin begs. "We need a face for this rebellion."
"Then you should've saved Katniss!" I growl and stomp out of the room without another word. Before leaving I hear Coin whisper something to Haymitch and Plutarch.
"We should've saved the girl." She whispers. Yes, I think to myself, she should have!
After exiting the room I check the schedule on my arm. Dinner time. I really am not in the mood for food right now. Besides, I've been completely ignoring my schedule the whole time I've been here. Why start now?
As I'm walking, I pass by Delly in the hall. I hadn't seen her this whole time, and assumed she died in the bombing.
"Hey, Peeta!" She says. "I haven't seen you around, I've been looking for you."
"Delly! I thought you... didn't make it out in time." I stutter. It's not that I have a problem talking to her, it's just that when I started talking I realized it would sound pretty rude.
"Yeah, it would seem that like that." She says. "So many people didn't make it out in time, and it is so sad. Oh, where's Katniss? I haven't seen her around."
"Oh..." I trail off. I thought everyone knew what had happened to her. Apparently not. "She... um... she didn't make it..." It's hard to say. I've been so depressed about this whole situation, but I can't break down now. They had just started weening me off my medication.
"Oh!" She suddenly gets realization. "Peeta, I – I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Is she... is she... gone?"
"I don't know." My voice cracks as I speak. "The Capitol... they – they could be doing anything to her, if she's not already..." Dead, I think to myself, but I can't muster up the words.
"Oh, Peeta! I – I didn't know. I'm so sorry. I knew how much she meant to you." She tries to comfort me. "But I don't think she's dead."
"Why not?" I ask.
"She's too valuable to them right now." She tells me. "They can... use her as a – as a pawn. It would be too risky to kill her." She has a point, but I can't fully know if I believe it until I have proof that she is still alive. "Now, come on!" She pulls me along. "Let's go to dinner."
I want to deny, but she starts pulling my arm for me to follow. I groan and stumble down the hall, following her lead. For some reason, hanging out with Delly, feels like I'm betraying Katniss in some way. I know Delly and I are just friends, but she is another woman and I'm in love with Katniss.
Once we are in the cafeteria Delly gets her food, but I don't eat. I then go to sit down across from her and just sit there with my hand holding up my face. Delly finishes her food quickly and I am just about to leave when the TV suddenly turns on. The Capitol anthem plays along with the symbol, and I wait curious to see what they're broadcasting. I see Caesar Flickerman enters the screen.
"Hello, Panem." Caesar greets us formally. "I am Caesar Flickerman, your host, and today we have a very special guest. Introducing the girl who was on fire, Katniss Everdeen." My mouth hangs open in shock as the screen pans out to see both Katniss and Caesar. My heart drops at the sight of her. She is super skinny, has dark circles under her eyes, and her eyes are blood shot. I can't help but notice how much she is shaking, but she's alive! She's really alive!
I draw closer to the TV, hoping to somehow reach her. Also, I don't want to miss a single word she says.
"So, Katniss," Caesar starts. "How are you, first of all?"
"I guess I'm good." She says, although I can hear the quiver in her voice.
"Oh my God!" I say as my hand draws to my mouth to hold in the scream that is threatening it's way through my throat. Tears start to sting my eyes. I keep whispering the same words. "She's alive."
"Hmm... now, Katniss, a lot of people feel as though they are in the dark. Would you like to shed some light on that?" Caesar asks.
"Yeah," Katniss says, her voice still quivering. "I know how they feel."
"So, set the stage for us." He says. "Talk us through what really happened on that final night in the arena."
"Well first, you have to understand that in the arena you only get one wish." Katniss says. "My one wish was to save Peeta."
"And do you think you succeeded at that?" He asks.
She laughs a small, breathy laugh. "I don't know." She says. "I don't know where he is or if he is even alive."
"Now, you blew out the force field in that arena, correct?"
"Correct." She says, her voice cracking.
"Why did you do that?"
"I don't know." She says. "I didn't know what I was doing, I guess. I never knew there was a bigger plan behind it all. Peeta and I had no idea of the plan to get the other tributes out."
"Well, Katniss, there are many who find this suspicious. It seems as though you were part of a rebel plan." He accuses her.
"Well, do you think it was part of my plan to almost be killed by Johanna?" She asks coldly. "Or part of my plan to be paralyzed by lightning? No, were not part of any rebel plan, we had no idea what was going on."
"Alright." He surrenders. "I believe you, Katniss. Now, I was going to ask you to speak about the war, but I think you might be too upset."
"No," She says. "No, I can answer that."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." She says as she turns to the camera and starts speaking, letting out a small sigh. "I want everyone who's watching to stop and to think about what a war could mean. We almost went extinct once before and now our numbers are even fewer." I hear mummers around the room, most of which are expressing hatred and betrayal towards Katniss. "Is this really what we want to do? Kill ourselves off? Killing is not the answer. Everyone needs to lay down their weapons immediately."
"Katniss, are you calling for a ceasefire?" Caesar asks.
"Yeah... I am." By this time people are screaming out wretched names towards Katniss, like "Traitor!" "Liar!" "Backstabber!"
Katniss was obviously put up to saying that, I could tell just by looking at her.
I can't handle all these horrible names being said about the woman I love. I start walking towards the exit, too stunned to move any faster. Once I regain my composure I burst out of the room.
I have to save her. I have to. But the only way to do that is...
I burst through Command doors, finding Coin there.
"I'll do it!" I say. "Just please get her out of there."
Coin smiles. "Very good, Peeta." She says. "We'll start making propos as soon as we can!"
And just like that, I was the temporary face of the rebellion. Let's just hope I do a good enough job to save Katniss from the wretched hands of President Snow.
A/N: There you go! Chapter 2! YAY!
Hope you enjoyed. I know I did. ;-)
Have a great day and may the odds be ever in your favor.